Jersey City mom thanks firefighters for saving her 2-month-old boy

Lauren Casselberry/The Jersey JournalCapt. Mike Alessi holds 2-month-old Gabriel Dugan during a press conference at Ladder 7 in Jersey City on Friday, May 4, 2012. Gabriel's parents Nicole Gohde and Christopher Dugan came to Ladder 7 to thank firefighters for saving their son's life when he suddenly stopped breathing about two weeks ago.

Nicole Gohde's first Mother's Day will be one for which she is particularly grateful.

Two weeks ago, Gohde and her husband Chris were on their way home from her son's christening party with her sister and a friend when 2-month-old Gabriel stopped breathing. Acting quickly, she took him to Jersey City Firehouse Engine 14, Ladder 7, on Palisade Avenue, where skillful firefighters saved his life.

Yesterday, Gohde visited the station to express her appreciation.

"It's easy to say they're heroes. You see it on the news, but it's so different to see firsthand," said Gohde. "If it wasn't for them, there would be no Mother's Day. I love them all so much."

Gohde knew there was something wrong when she noticed Gabriel was unusually silent. She looked over to see that his ears were turning purple. She immediately removed him from his carseat and began breathing into his nose and mouth. The family raced toward the hospital, but saw the firehouse first.

"I yelled, 'Go back! Go back!' The first thing I could think of is first responders are always there. They know what they're doing," said Gohde.

Gohde banged on the door of the firehouse. Rookie firefighter Sean O'Connor answered. He brought Gabriel into the kitchen, where Capt. Mike Alessi, Joe Veintimilla, Joe Unitsz, Capt. Peter Hugerich and Herman Lozada used a pediatric-sized first responder bag to resuscitate the baby. After a long minute, Gabriel began breathing again.

"It's a tremendous feeling. It's why we do this," said Captain Alessi, in regard to saving the baby.

At first, the family thought Gabriel's gold chain had strangled him, then thought that vomit slipped back into his lungs because of the angle of his carseat. But, after he was examined by doctors, Gabriel was diagnosed with acid reflux. A valve in his stomach doesn't always open when it should. In this instance, fluid became trapped in his lungs and was suffocating him. Doctors say that eventually he will grow out of the condition.

Gohde wept as she embraced each of the firefighters who saved her son and gave them all small tokens of appreciation cookies and protective medals of St. Florian, the patron saint of firefighters.